If you have never had an ice cold glass of hibiscus tea, well then you are missing out my friend. It is so refreshing, and tangy, and I adore it. It is almost fruity and not nearly as floral as I would have expected. You can find dried hibiscus flowers at Mexican markets or online, and as a bonus, its pretty inexpensive! You might find it labeled Agua de Jamaica if you are looking in the Mexican market, just as a tip. Hibiscus tea is full of vitamin C and antioxidants, among other heath benefits! So this summer change up your tea game and mix yourself a batch of this delicious, refreshing hibiscus lime tea. Cheers, y’all!

Sometimes I want a healthy smoothie with a side of not so healthy matzah toffee. I mean, I am gonna feel a whole lot less badly about drinking this than I am an actual milk shake!! And that little bit of matzah toffee on the side gives me just enough guilty pleasure without totally wrecking an otherwise healthy and filling shake! This my friends is what we call balance. Feel free to skip the matzah toffee. I tend to make this shake at passover when I have matzah toffee laying around. The smoothie is still delicious without it! Its quick and easy with just the right amount of sweetness. Drop some protein powder in it, and call it breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups coconut or almond milk

2 cups ice

1/4 cup cashews

3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder

5-6 pitted dates

3 tablespoons shredded coconut (more if you like)

Optional: 2 tablespoons agave, if the dates have not made it sweet enough for you

INSTRUCTIONS:

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth. You can add the dates before adding any agave and taste it to see if its sweet enough. When I make this for myself, I think the dates make it plenty sweet. When I make it for my family they beg to differ, so I always have to add a few squirts of agave. Just adjust according to your own taste. If you are using protein powder and it is sweet, then that may do it as well.

Divide between 2 large glasses or 3 smaller glasses, and garnish with more shredded coconut or a few pieces of broken up Matzah Toffee. If making fresh matzah toffee for the recipe, you can sprinkle it with shredded coconut instead of sprinkles.

Raise your hand if you have ever had a Samoa Girl Scout cookie. If you have, you probably know what all the hype is about. Gooey Caramel, Chocolate, and toasted coconut perfection. Sadly, Samoas are not one of the Girls Scout’s vegan cookie offerings. No worries, Y’all! I think I have just the thing for you! This smoothie is far healthier than a cookie, but taste just as good in my opinion. It has it all!! Chocolate, coconut, and caramel all blended up creamy smooth and so delicious. What it doesn't have is refined sugar, and 100% less guilt than a cookie! Also you can have this for breakfast and not spend your day drowning in regret! WIN WIN WIN! Oh, and the caramel sauce is raw and you will probably find 100 different ways to use it, too! So don’t worry the leftovers, you will thank me later when you are dipping an apple into it ,and again not feeling one ounce of remorse! So blend yourself up a Vegan Samoa Smoothie and walk right past that cookie table those adorable girls have set up in front of your local grocery store, never looking back (OR run back and grab a box of the some of their vegan cookies because after all they are adorable, and its super hard to say no!)

Ingredients:

2 frozen bananas

1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder

1 and 1/2 cups coconut or almond milk

2 cups ice ( you can use less if you don’t like a super thick smoothie)

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

A handful of spinach (I keep a bag in the freezer for shakes and smoothies)

Easy Vegan No Cook Caramel:

1/2 cup dried dates

1/4 cup canned coconut cream

1/3 cup maple syrup

pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Peel and freeze 2 bananas. If you do no have a high speed blender like a Vitamix or Ninja, then I suggest slicing the bananas before freezing. A regular blender may have trouble breaking down a whole frozen banana. We normally just toss our bananas that are on the verge of going bad into the freezer so we do not waste them, and so we have them on hand for smoothies and nice cream.

Add the ingredients for the caramel to a food processor or blender. You may have trouble getting it to process in your blender because it is a small volume of ingredients. If you do not have a food processor I suggest doubling the ingredients so you have enough volume that your blender will break it down. Lets be real, I’m sure you can find plenty of ways to use up the extra!! Store caramel in the fridge 1-2 weeks

Toss frozen bananas and remaining shake ingredients into you blender. I have mentioned in other smoothie recipes that I keep bags of mixed greens or spinach in my freezer just for smoothies. It helps make the smoothie nice and cold, and my greens don’t go bad before I can use them! Blend on high until everything is nice and smooth.

To serve, pour smoothies into glasses, top with more shredded coconut (I like to toast mine if I have time) and drizzle with caramel sauce!

Once the weather starts getting a little warm, I abandon all affection for wintery, spicy recipes, and quickly move into craving light, springy food and drink. This includes all things lavender, and lavender coffee drinks are no exception. If you have never had a lavender latte or other lavender flavored drink, I can not urge you enough to give it a try. They are light and fragrant, and this recipe is just sweet enough without being over powering. You can find dried culinary lavender at many grocery stores, allowing you to get your lavender coffee fix quickly, and affordably while you patiently wait on spring!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cashews, plus water for soaking

1 1/2 cups water

2-3 teaspoons dried culinary lavender

3-4 tablespoons agave

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Cover cashews in water in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for 3 minutes. You can also soak them in hot water for a few hours if you prefer.

Drain soaked cashews and add them, along with the remaining ingredients, to a high speed blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, and there are no more bits of cashew.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Shake well before each use.

I am normally not a huge fan of hiding veggies from my kids or husbands in the food I make, but smoothies are an exception! I love beets! Raw, roasted, pickled, I love them. My family, not so much. So if I can sneak these nutrient dense, vitamin rich veggies into a shake without them knowing, I will do it every time ( cause I’m tricky like that!) And I promise they always drink this one and are none the wiser!. This smoothie is sweet, nutty, chocolaty goodness, and a healthy way to start you or your families day! And if you now have “It’s Tricky” stuck in you head for the rest of the day, you are most welcome. I’m right there singing along with you.

Ingredients:

1 banana

1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder

3 heaping tablespoons peanut butter

1 big handful of fresh or frozen spinach (I buy a bag of fresh and toss the whole bag in the freezer for smoothies, works great!)

1/4- 1/2 a small red beet, peeled and quartered

1 - 1 1/2 cups plant based milk

1-1 1/2 cups ice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

1-2 scoops vanilla or chocolate protein powder (optional)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender. I have a vitamix so it breaks down the beet really well and really quickly. If you have a regular ol blender, no problem, just cut the beet into smaller cubes so your blender can handle it. Blend on high until completely smooth. You can add more ice or milk if the smoothie seems too thin or too thick for your liking. I used a whole small beet. I suggest if you are not a fan of beets, start by adding a quarter or half of a small beet at first. Its a great way to sneak in extra vitamins and nutrients and you really can not even tell it’s there!

How lucky we are that citrus season falls during cold and flu season! Fresh, plentiful, citrus is normally widely available and extra affordable during the winter months, making it easy to get all that vitamin C you need to fight off those winter time germs. I love fresh oranges, and living in Florida they are especially plentiful this time of year. So what’s a girl to do other than try think up new, and tasty ways to use up all of these oranges. We drop a whole orange into this smoothie getting all of the benefits of the fruit without all of the extra sugar you can get using bottled orange juice. You can also easily add a scoop of your favorite vegan protein powder for an extra kick of morning protein! So if you love orange creamsicle as much as I do, then this smoothy is definitely one you need to try!! Cheers to bright, healthy, citrus filled mornings!!

Ingredients:

1 large navel orange

1 and 1/2 cups almond or coconut milk

1 and 1/2 cups ice

1/4 cups raw cashews or almonds

3 or 4 date, or you can use a few teaspoons of agave to sweeten

1/2 teaspoon vanila extract

optional: 1 scoop vanilla vegan protein powder

Instructions:

Peel the orange and cut into quarters.

Add the orange and all of the remaining ingredients to a blender, and process on high until creamy and smooth. For a thicker smoothie, you can add another half cup of ice.

This is one of my go to smoothies, especially during the fall. This sweet potato smoothie is sweet, healthy, filling, and tastes like a pumpkin, or sweet potato pie! You can bake up the potatoes over the weekend for a quick and easy weekday breakfast smoothie. Even my kids love this one. You can double or triple the recipe if making it for the family!

Ingredients:

1 baked sweet potato

1 1/2 cups plant based milk

1/2 -1 cup ice

a few shakes of cinnamon

2 dried dates, or 1 tablespoon maple syrup

optional: 1 scoop of vegan protein powder

optional: 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Peel baked sweet potato, Add it along with remaining ingredients to a blender and process until completely smooth. You can start with a half cup of ice and add more according to your preference. Top with a few shakes of extra cinnamon.

You can easily double the recipe if making multiple smoothies at one time. I often just bake up a half dozen sweet potatoes over the weekend and keep them in the fridge for smoothies throughout the week.